By DEBORAH BEHRENDS
Illinois Correspondent

GENEVA, Ill. — Along with providing fresh produce close to home, the organizers of the first-ever Geneva Green Market want to teach suburban shoppers about the origins of their food.

“We want an educational component to our market,” said organizer Karen Stark.

Stark is working closely with Portia Belloc Lowndes who was instrumental in founding the highly successful and well known Chicago Green Market.

Organizers are dedicated to sustainable, minimally processed and locally grown food from farmers within a 200-mile radius to join the weekly market. It will be open every Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 28 through Oct. 31 at River Park.

The park is located on Riverside Drive on the west side of the Fox River, just north of Illinois Route 38 and one block east of Illinois Route 31.

“We want farmers to come in and talk about farming practices, offer good tasting food and make that connection back to earth. If people are buying locally, they are living greener and using less fuel,” Stark said.

Along with buying closer to home to save fuel costs and have fresher produce, Stark said the market offers an opportunity to be more self-sufficient.

“The main thing is we want to support our local farmers. Our main purpose is to be a distribution and educational association for organic, sustainable agriculture.

“That doesn’t mean everything offered has to be organic. It could be a help to a producer transitioning into organic.”
Stark said some of the local restaurateurs are on board with buying locally.

“That’s the reason we chose Thursday, so they could have fresh produce for their busy weekends,” Stark said. “We just started planning this in March. It’s exciting the number of people that are interested already.”

She said the Geneva Green Market organizers are modeling themselves after successful markets in Chicago; St. Paul, Minn.; and Madison, Wis.

“The Dane County Market (in Madison) is an all-day affair. You can go at 6:30 in the morning and be entertained until 2. It’s great for people watching. It’s an event every Saturday,” Stark said.

“That’s what I would like this to be. We’re starting out small but we want to grow.”

Stark said although the city has not invested any funds in the market, it is serving as a cheerleader for the endeavor.

This is not the first market Geneva has had. Stark said there is a French market on Sundays selling produce, jewelry, flowers, linens and a wide variety of items.

“There will be some overlap; we’re hoping to have fresh bread, for example. With two markets, we’re offering people a variety,” Stark said.

Some of the producers already committed are offering fresh bread, cheese, coffee and tea, and gluten-free products.

The cost for a booth is $10 per week but Stark said producers are asked to commit to the entire season at a cost of $150 total.

“We want our communities to get back to eating locally.
Most people hardly cook at home anymore, but those who do are healthier for it.

“This isn’t about being preachy. It’s about finding a balance and offering choices,” Stark said.

For more information about booth space at the Geneva Green Market, call Stark at 630-208-9321.

This farm news was published in the May 16, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.